iamq

Well, we're finally going to Italy! After a false start or two, we've decided to spend a week in Rome next April 9 - 17. My work schedule is such that is the best time for us to go. We'll be there for 7 nights and 6 full days and possibly partials on the days we arrive and depart.

I reserved an apartment a few minutes walk from Campo dei Fiori and Piazza Farnese.

I'm reading my guide books, but I'd like some feedback on some of my ideas for this trip.

I'm thinking about doing ContextRome tours of the Vatican and Ancient Rome.

With the amount of time we have should I plan to visit the Borghese? We love sculpture and I'd love to see the gardens, but it seems like people either think it is a waste of time or they love it.

My thinking is to block off time when we are not touring the major sites listed above for hanging out, walking and exploring. I'd like to visit some interesting piazzas and streets.

Ostia sounds very interesting and since Pompeii seems like too long a day, we might do this instead. Thoughts? I've read that a guided tour is not really necessary.

I'd like to do a day train trip to Orvieto.

If time allows, I was also thinking of taking an early train to Florence and spend the day there. Is that doable?

That's all I've got at this point. I'd appreciate any ideas or refinements, like what days of the week may be better for doing certain things.
Thanks.

-Bill

SAB

Check for when Easter occurs in 2007. The Monday after Easter is a holiday and the week after Easter is a busy week with lots of Italian tourists visiting Rome. Can't recommend Context Rome ancient Rome tour enough. Borghese is fabulous, if you love sculpture it if a must see as far as I'm concerned. Also check out the Capitolini museums for great ancient sculptures--lots of people visit the Piazza del Campidoglio but not the museums.

There is so much to see in Rome that 3 day trips in 6 days seems a little much--leaves very little time to hang out, walk and explore as you have stated.

iamq

Thanks SAB.
We arrive in Rome the Tuesday after Easter. Yeah, I know it is going to be crowded, but it was either go then or in the summer between late June and mid August. The April dates had more appeal.

The Orvieto trip is pretty much a given, but Ostia and Florence are more or less just ideas at this point. That would open up two more days.Is Ostia a full day trip?

Thanks.

-Bill

tuscanlifeedit

Bill, if you get an early start you can do Ostia in a morning.

About the Borghese Gallery: I am one that loves it, and I actually think I've only seen a couple of posters who didn't care for the museum.

It is a little jewel of a museum, with late Renaissance/Baroque sculpture, Bernini in particular, being its attraction. I can't imagine anyone not swooning over Apollo and Daphne:

http://employees.oneonta.edu/farbera...luto_thigh.jpg

My suggestion for a time to visit is any time, but I like afternoon, perhaps after lunch, and then a stroll through the Borghese Gardens back to central Rome. Do spend a little time in the park.

There are bocci courts to the east of the gallery, and benches for watching. This is a great stop after touring the museum.

I guess you could spend a day in Florence but it would mean contending with Termini twice in one day, and Santa Maria Novella, too, and for me it would just be too much.

Rome deserves all your time, IMO, and Florence takes a good deal of time to sink into, too. My advice would be to save it for your next trip. Two day trips seem plenty.

Central Rome is loaded with interesting piazzas and streets, so that should be the easiest part of your plans to accomplish. ;-)

We have been to Rome several times, and if God is willing, we will go back again soon. It is a wonderful city, and 6 days will not be too many.

iamq

Tuscan,
Okay...We'll save Florence for another trip. That's good advice. That's great about Ostia being doable in the morning. Thanks also for the info on the Borghese. We'll probably end up doing that.

LOYL

My husband and I spent a week in Rome two years ago. We loved teh Borghese- the marbles are amazing. We did tours with Scala Reale/Context Rome- also amazing. Took a day trip to Pompeii with a private guide and driver- split the cost with another party. That was a fabulous use of a day. Would have regretted not going. Also did day trips to Hadrian's Villa and Villa de Este (same day)- hired a driver thru the hotel for that. Also did the Papal Audience at the Vatican, which was awesome. I seem to be long on adjectives here, but we did have a wonderful time celebrating our 25th anniversary.

LoveItaly

Hi Bill, Easter is April 8th in 2007. If you are arriving on Monday April 9th, 2007 that is a holiday in Italy..although that should not be a problem for you two. But I am assuming you are flying from the US on April 9th and arriving on April 10th..the Tuesday after Easter?

I too would "skip" going to Florence for a daytrip. I would visit the Borghese. Perhaps a few people think that the museum and the gardens are a waste of time but I certainly do not.

Bill, I have never been to Ostia, but a day trip to Pompeii is so long. Personally I would visit Ostia Everyone that I know that has (without a guide btw) has enjoyed it so much.

And do save time to just enjoy and savor beautiful, chaotic and wonderful Rome!! If you don't you really will not get the feeling for Rome which would be a shame. IMO walking and exploring without any itinerary is the way to really get the feeling of this vibrant city which is not just there for tourist. It is a city of residents..do find their Rome.

A day trip to Orvieto is a wonderful idea IMO. A nice break from Rome.

My best wishes for you two..have fun researching more about your trip..and I certainly wish you both a beautiful time in Rome and her surrounding areas.

iamq

Thanks LOYL. I'm glad to hear the positive feedback on Context Rome from you and others. They are a bit pricier than some, but it sounds like they are worth it.

LoveItaly,
You're very sweet! Yeah, I took the advice you gave me a couple of months ago and decided on renting an apartment instead of a hotel. I think it will be more of an adventure (a good one I hope) than staying in a hotel. Here is the link to it:
http://italyperfect.com/rome/lagiulia/lagiulia.html

It's small, but it's everything we need and at $1100 for the week, I think it will do very nicely thank you.

You're correct. We will leave SFO on the 9th and arrive in Roma on the 10th and stay until the 17th. I have not booked airfare yet, but I'm hoping to get a morning or midday arrival time. We'll see. Check your comcast account. Okay?

Thanks all. Anyone else?

-Bill

Leely

Bill,
Great apartment, perfect location: I am envious. I have never made it on any of my loosely planned daytrips from Rome because...well, I get to Rome and I'm in Rome! I have thought about Orvieto, Pompeii and Ostia but I just can't seem to tear myself away from Roma. So, perhaps, my only advice is that if you really want a day trip, commit to it ahead of time by buying the train tickets. That way, Rome can't seduce you out of going.

Have a wonderful trip.

Leely

Oops, also meant to say that if you love sculpture as you say you do, please don't miss the Borghese, which is fantastic.

And your apartment is in a perfect location for just wandering and hanging out in charming piazze.

iamq

Thanks Leely.

Yes, the location of the apartment was the thing that sold me on it. All the reviews of this place on slowtrav raved about the location, so I'm glad to hear that you agree!

One of the things that I've been reading about is called an "orientation walk" where you are taken on a two hour walking tour from Campo dei Fiori to the Spanish Steps on our first day. Has anyone done one of these? How was it?

-Bill

LOYL

We did that Orientation walk with Scala Reale/Context Rome. It was free when we signed up for their guided tours. It was good- but really just an overview, nothing in depth like the tours are.

meo

We weren't in Rome long enough to be able to recommend anything other than the obvious while you are there, but we did get a private guide for the Vatican, which I thought was well worth the expense. She also took us to the Forum and some other sites in the vicinity.

My main moitve for posting a reply though is off-topic...

Thank you for your Sea Ranch recommendation (Graham House)! We spent a weekend there in February and it was unbelievable! The coastline was spectacular and the house itself was perfect in every way. (Plus it was sunny, which was unusual this winter in Northern California)

Thanks again and have fun in Rome!

Intrepid1

If you love scuplture as much as you say you do then you'll do yourself a disservice if you <b>don't</b> visit the Borghese IMO.

With a short amount of time, I would do Ostia rather than Pompeii and although there are a lot of places to wander around and explore in Rome...say what you will but 7 days is a LOT of time in one place, even in Rome IMO.

cruiseluv

Well, I'm going to go against the grain here and recommend that you do Florence instead of Ostia. I have never done Ostia but can't believe there is any comparison. I have done Florence both ways: going there by train for the day and staying there. Of course, you can't see all in Florence in one day but you ample time to do the highlights. The train trip is only 1.5 hr.

So, if I were you I would do Florence instead of Ostia and Orvieto.

The Borghese Galleries is a must IMO.

iamq

Thanks for the replies! The Borghese is in! We'll do that for sure. Cruiseluv, Thanks, you've given me sonething to think about regarding doing Florence.

meo, I am so glad that you liked the house and Sea Ranch! It is one of the places that I can go to truly decompress. I've been many times and have stayed in many of the homes and that one is the best for us. We'll be going back sometime next year.

-Bill

SusanP

Bill, whichever daytrip you decide on, I agree that 3 would be too many. With 6-1/2 days, you could easily fill that without taking any daytrips at all. There is so much to see in Rome, and of course you want time to sit in the piazzas and just take it all in. Your apt location is, of course, great!

If you make a list of your must-sees, then you can group them by area so you don't waste a lot of time backtracking across the city, and that leaves you more time for wandering and relaxing. The worst part is having to wait until next April!

Dayle

Hi Bill,

My 2 cents, definite YES for the Borghese! It was the highlight of 5 days in Rome for me. Yes for a daytrip to Orvieto, but make it a long day, there is much to see and do and stay for dinner. I took the Context Rome tours of Antica Rome and Arte Vatican and really enjoyed both.

Your week sounds wonderful! Buon viaggio!

iamq

Hmmm...maybe we'll just go to Orvieto...Hmmm...

Thanks!

-Bill

annhig

Dear iamq, for what it's worth, here's what we packed into 7 days in Rome just after Easter this year:
Day 1 - the Forum and the Palatine Hill [buy your tickets for the colosseum here to avoid the queues]; lunch then the colosseum.
DAy 2 - Plan was the Vatican but the queue was too long for us so we got teh boat down to Trastevere and spent the day there.
DAy 3 - Tivoli, to see the Villa D'este and if you were better organised, you could fit in Hadrian's Villa too.
DAy 4 - the Vatican and St. Peter's.
DAy 5 - Ostia antica
DAy 6 - THe Capitoline hill museums and church, plus st. Clemente and other bits we found on the way.
DAy 7 - Campo Fiori, Piazza Navona, etc.
We were staying near the colosseum so spent some time around this area as well as getting to the rest of Rome. As you are going to be right in the Centro Storico, you'll be able to fit in more than we did, just by wandering around. WE loved Tivoli and Ostia; Tivoli has a lot to offer besides the main sites, and Ostia took us more than half a day to do thoroughly - you won't need a guide.
Remember to give yourselves time to sit and stare, and let your feet recover - even in April, the Roman streets are hot and hard. Rick Steves has some good tips that you may be interested in. Good luck!